Salvia plant named &#39;G13592&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Salvia  plant named ‘G13592’, characterized by its upright to somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; relatively large dark green-colored leaves; freely and continuous flowering habit; relatively large inflorescences with relatively large dark blue-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Salvia farinacea

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘G13592’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salviaplant, botanically known as Salvia farinacea and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘G13592’.

The new Salvia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Bellefonte, Pa. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new vigorous Salvia plants with largeflowers, long flowering period and good garden performance.

The new Salvia plant originated from an open-pollination in August, 2010of a proprietary selection of Salvia farinacea identified as code number13721, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknownselection of Salvia farinacea, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newSalvia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollinationin a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Bellefonte, Pa. on May15, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative terminal cuttingsin Bellefonte, Pa., since Oct. 21, 2011 has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Salvia plant are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Salvia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘G13592’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘G13592’ as a new and distinct Salvia plant:

-   -   1. Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Relatively large dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Freely and continuous flowering habit.    -   5. Relatively large inflorescences with relatively large dark        blue-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Salvia differ from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia are more vigorous than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Salvia are darker green in color        than leaves of plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Salvia are longer than        inflorescences of plants of the female parent selection.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Salvia are darker blue in color        than flowers of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of Salvia farinacea‘Victoria Blue’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inBellefonte, Pa., plants of the new Salvia differed from plants of‘Victoria Blue’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia were more uniform in growth habit        than plants of ‘Victoria Blue’.    -   2. Plants of the new Salvia were more vigorous than plants of        ‘Victoria Blue’.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Salvia were longer than        inflorescences of plants of ‘Victoria Blue’.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Salvia were larger and darker        blue in color than flowers of plants of ‘Victoria Blue’.    -   5. Plants of the new Salvia flowered for a longer period of time        than plants of ‘Victoria Blue’.

Plants of the new Salvia can also be compared to plants of Salviafarinacea ‘Salv Bule’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,625. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Bellefonte, Pa., plants of the newSalvia differed from plants of ‘Salv Bule’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia were more vigorous than plants of        ‘Salv Bule’.    -   2. Plants of the new Salvia were more outwardly spreading than        and not as upright as plants of ‘Salv Bule’.    -   3. Plants of the new Salvia flowered later than plants of ‘Salv        Bule’.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Salvia were larger than flowers        of plants of ‘Salv Bule’.    -   5. Plants of the new Salvia and ‘Salv Bule’ differed in flower        color as plants of ‘Salv Bule’ had violet blue-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Salvia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Salvia plant. The photograph on the right side of thesheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of‘G13592’ grown in a container. The photograph on the left side of thesheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘G13592’ grownin a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the early spring in 11.5-cmcontainers in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse in Bellefonte, Pa. andunder cultural practices which closely approximate commercialproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 18° C. to 24° C. and night temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 16°C. Plants were pinched one time and were ten weeks old when thephotographs and description were taken. In the detailed description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia farinacea ‘G13592’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Salvia            farinacea identified as code number 13721, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Salvia            farinacea, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at            temperatures about 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 to 21 days at            temperatures about 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 56 days            at temperatures about 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 70 days            at temperatures about 22° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white to tan            in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown            as a container and garden plant; upright to somewhat            outwardly spreading plant habit; uniform and vigorous growth            habit; flowers arranged on erect terminal racemes.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching with about three to            four primary lateral branches each with many axillary shoots            developing per plant.        -   Plant height.—About 27.6 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 18.2 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 26 cm. Diameter:            About 4.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.8 cm. Strength:            Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to outwardly. Texture:            Pubescent, minute. Color, developing: Close to 148A to 148B.            Color, developed: Close to 146A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 6.7 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptical.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Towards the apex, broadly crenate; towards the base,            mostly entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Slightly pubescent, minute.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B; venation,            close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 147D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent, minute. Color,            upper surface: Close to 146B. Color, lower surface: Close to            146D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single bilabiate flowers            arranged on erect terminal racemes; racemes conical in            shape; freely flowering habit with about 146 flowers            developing per inflorescence; flowers face mostly outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six            to eight weeks after planting; long flowering period,            flowering is continuous flowering from April to October in            Pennsylvania.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about            five days on the plant; inflorescences last about six to ten            weeks on the plant; flowers and inflorescences persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Elongated oval to oblong. Color: Close to 93B.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 5.8 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 1 cm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base forming a            single upper banner petal (upper lip), two lateral petals            and two lower petals (broad lower lip). Lobe length, banner            petal: About 8 mm. Lobe length, lateral petals: About 4 mm.            Lobe length, lower petals: About 1.1 cm. Lobe width, banner            petal: About 4 mm. Lobe width, lateral petals: About 3 mm.            Lobe width, lower petals: About 1.2 cm. Shape, all petals:            Round. Apex, all petals: Round. Base, all petals: Fused into            a narrow tube. Margin, all petals: Mostly entire to slightly            sinuate. Texture, all petals, upper surface: Smooth,            glabrous; velvety. Texture, all petals, lower surface:            Densely pubescent. Color, all petals: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 93A. When opening, lower surface: Close to            93C to 93D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 93A to            93B; color does not fade with development. Fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 93C; towards the margins, close to            93A; color does not fade with development. Throat: Close to            93D and NN155B. Tube: Close to 92C to 92D.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals completely fused to form a            campanulate calyx. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 5 mm.            Apex: Emarginate. Texture, inner surface: Smooth, glabrous.            Texture, outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color, inner            surface: Close to 146B to 146C. Color, outer surface:            Slightly more grey than close to 97A to 97B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 11.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture: Densely            pubescent. Color: Close to 187C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Bending to horizontal. Texture:            Pubescent, minute. Color: Close to 195C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two to            four. Filament length: About 6 mm. Filament color: Close to            92D. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther            color: Close to 199B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:            Close to 162C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 1.8 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:            Close to 92A. Style length: About 1 cm. Style color: Close            to 91D. Ovary color: Close to 151A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been            observed on plants of the new Salvia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Salvia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Salvia    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Salvia have exhibited good    garden performance and to be tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures    ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Salvia plant named ‘G13592’ asillustrated and described.